# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls For the Eig hth Circu it

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No. 1 7- 36 88

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _ Mal en i Gu ti erre z Mo li na ; Ed ua rd o Yo ne li Gui do Gut ie rrez ; M el in a Eli zab et h

Gui do Gut ie rrez ; J or ge Jav ie r Gui do Gut ie rrez

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Peti ti on er

s

v.

Mat th ew G. W hi ta ke r, Acti ng Att or ne y Gene ral of t he Uni te d S ta te s 1

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Resp on de nt

__ __ __ __ __ __
Pet it io n fo r Rev ie w of a n Ord er o f th e Bo ard of I m

m ig rat io n Ap pe al s

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Su bm it te d: Octo be r 17 , 20 18 Fi le d: Decem

be r 12 , 20 18

__ __ __ __ __ __ Befo re WOL LMAN, COLLOTON , and BENTON, Circu it Ju dg es

.

__ __ __ __ __ __ BENTON, Circu it Ju dg e.

Mal en i Gut ie rr e z Mo li na an d th ree of he r ch il dr en , Edu ard o Yon el i Gui do
Gut ie rrez , Mel in a Eli zab et h Gui do Gut ie rrez , a n d Jo rg e Ja vi er Gui do

Pu rs ua nt to Fed eral Ru le of Ap pe ll at e Pro ced ur e 4 3( c)(2 ), Acti ng Att or ne y 1 Gen eral Mat th ew G. W hi ta ke r is au to m at ic al ly sub st it ut ed for for m er At to rn ey Gen eral Jef

fers on B. Ses si on s, II I as th e res po nd en t i n t hi s ca se

.Gut ie rrez —n at iv es an d ci ti zen s of Mex ic o— pe ti t io n fo r rev ie w of an or de r of th e Bo ard of Im

m ig rat io n App eal s de nyin g t h e i r cl ai m s fo r as y lu m , wit hh ol di ng of

rem ov al
, an d rel ie f un de r th e Co nv en ti on Aga in st Tor t u r e

. Th is co ur t de ni es th e
pe ti ti on for rev ie w.

I.

Mal en i Gut ie rrez Mo li na an d he r ch il dr en were pa ro le d in to th e Uni te d St at es in 20 15

. The go ve rn m en t pl aced th em in rem ov al pr oc eed in gs

. Gut ie rrez co nc ed ed

rem ov ab il it y , bu t req ue st ed as y lu m , wit hh ol di ng of rem ov al
, an d pr ot ect io n un de r the
Co nv en ti on Aga in st Tort ur e, ba se d on fear s th at sh e an d he r fam il y wou ld be ha rm ed if r et ur ne d t o M ex ic o.

“ To be e l i g i b l e f

or as y lu m , an ap pl ic an t m us t sh ow th at sh e is un ab le or

un wil li ng to ret ur n to he r co un try of or ig in ‘becau se of pe rs ecu ti on or a well -fo un de d fear of pe rs ecu ti on on acco un t of race , rel ig io n, na ti o n a l i ty, m em be rs hi p in a
pa rti cu la r so ci al gro up , or p ol it ic al op in io n.’” Ma rr oq ui n-Ocho m a v . Ho ld er , 57 4
F.3 d 57 4, 57 7 (8 th Ci r. 20 09 ), qu ot in g 8 U.S.C. § 11 01 (a )(4 2) (A)

. The Gut ie rrez es

se ek asylu m

ba se d o n t he ir m em

be rs hi p i n a pa rti cu la r so ci al gro up

.

At th e rem ov a l h e a rin g, Gut ie rrez an d ot he r fam il y m em be rs te st ifi ed th at a
cart el ki dn ap pe d Gut ie rrez ’s ni ece an d de m an de d a ran so m

. The cart el rel eas ed he r th e ne xt da y aft er he r m ot he r pa id pa rt of th e ran so m

. Gut ie rrez an d he r ch il dr en le ft Mi ch oa can , Mex ic o, aft er th e ki dn ap pe rs de m an de d th e res t of th e m on ey an d th reat en e d h e r f

a m il y

. The Gut ie rrez es reca ll ed se ve ral ot he r in ci de nt s. Edu ard o

rece iv ed a th reat en in g cal l fro m an un kn own cal le r de m an di ng m on ey

. Afte r tu rn in g of f hi s cel l p h on e, he di d no t rece iv e an y m or e th reat s. A tru ck fo ll owe d Mel in a

on ce, bu t aft er wait in g in si de a ho us e fo r 15 to 20 m in ut es , sh e walk ed ho m e sa fel y

. Gut ie rrez tes ti fie d s he wit ne ss ed two pe op le ge tt in g k il le d. Th e im m ig rat io n ju dg e

as ke d se ve ral ti m es why sh e di d no t r e p o r t t h e se cri m es to po li ce an d qu es ti on ed

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-whe th er he r hu sb an d— a po li ce of fic er in Mex ic o— wou ld do an y th in g if so m eo ne
rep or te d c rimes to hi m

.

Dur in g th e he ari ng , Gut ie rrez ’s at to rn ey did not el ic it te sti m ony ident ifyin g an y
pa rti cu la r so ci al gr ou p. In st ead
, at th e cl os e of th e he ari ng , he r at to rn ey st at ed “ I do ha ve pro po se d s oc ia l g ro up s i f th e Co ur t wo ul d l ik e it .” The ju dg e rep li ed :

No, it ’s no t up to y ou to te ll m e wha t th e so ci al gr ou ps are, it ’s up to th e [Gu ti erre zes ] to do th at

. . . . [A]t th e en d o f a l l t he te st im on y an d

ev id en ce, I do n’t fin d it pa rti cu la rly ap pr op r ia te be cau se y ou m ay pr op os e a so ci al gr ou p th at I do n’t kn ow an y th in g ab ou t an d I’m go in g to ha ve to st art ask in g m or e q ue st io ns

.

Her at to rn ey

rep li ed , “ Not hi ng fur th er, Yo ur Hon or .”

The jud ge a n a l y zed Gut ie rrez ’s ap pl ic at io n fo r as y lu m ba se d on he r

m em be rs hi p in th ree po te nt i a l s o ci al gr ou ps : fam il y , fam il y m em be rs of po li ce of fic ers , an d pe rs on s who res is t ga ng s in Mex ic o. The jud ge fo un d no well -fo un de d fear o f fu tu re pe rs ecu ti on be cau se Gut ie rrez fai le d to co nn ect th e ki dn ap pi ng an d

o t h e r i n c id en ts to an y pr ot ect ed gr ou nd

. Sh e al so fai le d to de m on st rat e pa st
pe rs ecu ti on be cau se he r fam il y ex pe rie nc ed on ly un fu lfi ll ed t h r e at s la ck in g
sp eci fic it y an d im

m ed ia cy

. Bec au se th ey fai le d to es ta bl i s h th ei r el ig ib il it y fo r

as y lu m , t he jud ge de ni ed th ei r cl ai m s fo r as y lu m an d wit hh ol di ng of rem ov al

. The jud ge als o d en ie d re li ef u nd er t he Co nv en ti on Agai ns t To rtu re.

Gut ie rrez ap pe al ed to th e BIA, arg ui ng th e im m ig rat io n jud ge vi ol at ed th e Due
Pro ces s Cl au se an d erre d in fin di ng no pa st pe rs ecu ti on or well -fo un de d fear of fu tu re
pe rs ecu ti on . The BI A r eject ed Gut ie rrez ’s du e p ro ces s ar gu m en ts an d a ffi rm ed th e de ci si on of t he im m ig rat io n ju dg e.

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-II.

Und er th e Due Pro ces s Cl a u s e o f th e Fi fth Am en dm en t, Gut ie rrez is en ti tl ed

to a fu nd am en ta ll y fai r he ari ng

. Tun v. Gon za le s , 48 5 F.3 d 10 14
, 10 25 (8 th Ci r. 20 07 ), ci ti ng Reno v. Fl

or es , 50 7 U.S. 29 2, 30 6 (1 99 3) ; Al Kho ur i v. As hcr of t , 36 2
F.3 d 46 1, 46 4 (8 th Ci r. 20 04 ) (“ The Fi fth Am en dm en t’s du e pr oc es s cl au se m an da te s th at rem ov al he ari ng s be fu nd am en ta ll y fai r.”). “ Fo r a rem ov al he ari ng to be fai r, th e arb it er pr es id in g ov er th e he ari ng m us t be ne ut ral an d t he im m ig ran t m us t b e g iv en th e op po rtu ni ty to fai rly pr es en t ev id en ce, of fer arg um en ts , an d de ve lo p th e reco rd .”
Tun
, 48 5 F.3 d at 10 25
, ci ti ng 8 U.S.C. § 12 29 a( b)(4 )(B) ; 8 C.F.R. § 12 40 .10 (a )(4 )

. To es ta bl is h a du e pr oc es s vi ol at io n, Gut ie rrez “ m us t de m on st rat e bo th a fu nd am en ta l

pr oc ed ur al erro r an d res ul ti ng pr ejud ic e.” Ki pk em bo i v. Ho ld

er , 58 7 F.3 d 88 5, 89 0 (8 th Ci r

. 2 0 0 9 )

. P reju di ce req ui res “ a sh owi ng th at th e ou tc om e of th e pr oc eed in g

m ay well ha ve be en di ffer en t ha d th ere no t be en an y pr oc ed ur al irr eg ul ari ti es .” Tun
, 48 5 F .3d at 1 02 6.

Gut ie r r e z a l l e g es two du e pr oc es s vi ol at io ns

. Thi s co ur t rev ie ws th es e “ de

no vo , as th e qu e s t i o n of whe th er an im m ig rat io n he ari ng vi ol at es du e pr oc es s is a
pu rel y leg al is su e.” Br ac ic v. Ho ld er , 60 3 F .3d 10 27 , 10 32 (8t h C ir. 2 01 0)

.

At th e cl os e of te st im on y , th e jud ge st op pe d Gut ie rrez ’s at to rn ey fro m
pr op os in g a pa rti cu la r so ci al gr ou p. Gut ie rrez cl ai m s th is de pr iv e d h er of he r rig ht

to co un se l, v i o l a ti ng th e Due Pro ces s Cl au se

. Eve n if th is were a fu nd am en ta l

pr oc ed ur al erro r, sh e ha s no t de m on st rat ed an y res ul ti ng pr ejud ic e. The jud ge

an al y zed Gut ie rrez ’s as y lu m cl ai m ba se d on he r m em be rs hi p in th e so ci al gr ou ps of fam il y , th e fam il y of po li ce offi cers , an d op po si ti on to ga ng s. On app eal
, Gut ie rrez cl ai m s th at he r at to rn ey wou ld ha ve pr op os ed th at sh e was a m em be r of th e pa rti cu la r

so ci al gr o u p o f p e o pl e who op po se cart el s. In he r br ie f to th e BIA, ho wev er, Gut ie rrez no te s th at op po si ti o n t o g a n gs an d op po si ti on to cart el s are “ si m il ar”
gr ou ps

. Sh e ha s no t art ic ul at ed ho w he r pr op os ed so ci al gr ou ps wou ld ha ve ch an ge d

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-th e ou tc om e of th e pr oc eed in g. W it ho ut a sh owi ng of pr ejud ic e, th e jud ge ’s so ci al

gr ou p ru li ng is no t a d ue pro ces s v io la ti on

.

Gut ie rrez al so cl ai m s th e im m ig rat io n jud ge vi ol at ed he r du e pr oc es s rig ht s by

rep eat ed ly qu es ti on i n g he r ab ou t he r fai lu re to rep or t to po li ce th e cri m es sh e wit ne ss ed
, ex hi bi ti ng a cl ear bi as

. Im m ig rat io n jud ge s sh al l qu es ti on wit ne ss es an d de ve lo p th e reco rd

. 8 C.F.R. § 10 03 .10 (b) (“ Im m ig rat io n jud ge s sh al l ad m in is te r

oa th s, rece iv e ev id en ce, an d in te rro ga te , ex am in e, an d cro ss -ex am in e al ie ns an d an y wit ne ss es .”). The jud ge ’s qu es ti on s whe th er Gut ie rrez rep or te d th es e cri m es an d ho w
po li ce res po nd to rep or ts were r e le va nt to th e pe rs ecu ti on in qu iry. Se e Sha gh il v. Ho ld er , 63 8 F.3 d 82 8, 83 4 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ) (“ ‘[P] ers ecu ti on ’ is a ha rm th at is ‘infl ic te d ei th er by th e go ve rn m en t of [a co un try] or by pe rs on s or an or ga ni zat io n th at th e
go ve rn men t was un ab le or un wil li ng to co nt ro l.’”) (s eco nd al te rat io n in or ig in al ).
Gut ie rrez cl ai m s, ho wev er, th at th e qu es ti on s sh ow “ a jud gm en t cal l ag ai ns t” he r. Howev er, jud gm en ts or ho st il it y ag ai ns t a pa rty are typic al l y i n s u f f ic ie nt to pr ov e bi as

. A jud ge ’s op in io n ba se d on “ fact s in tro du ced or ev en ts oc cu rri ng in th e co ur se of th e cu rren t pr oc eed in gs ” an d jud ic ia l rem ark s de m on st rat in g ho st il it y to th e pa rti es

su pp or t a fin di ng of bi as whe n “ th ey di sp la y a de ep -s eat ed fav or it is m or an ta go ni sm th at wou ld m ak e fai r jud gm en t im po ss ib le .” Lit

ek y v. Unit ed St at es , 51 0 U.S. 5 40
, 55 5 (1 99 4) . Gut ie rrez ha s n ot all eg ed th e jud ge fo rm ed an op in io n of he r ba se d o n

an y th in g ou ts id e th e reco rd

. The jud ge ’s co nd uc t he re do es no t sh ow a de ep -s eat ed fav or it is m or an ta go ni sm th at pr ecl ud es fai r jud gm en t. No vi ol at io n of du e pr oc es s

oc cu rred

.

III.

Gut ie rr e z p r e s en ts two ot he r arg um en ts : th e ag en cy fai le d to co ns id er he r el ig ib il it y fo r hu m an it ari an as y lu m un d e r 8 C

. F .R. § 12 08 .13 (b )(1 )(i ii ); an d he r

co un se l was in effe ct iv e in no t pr es en ti ng ev id en ce of he r m em be rs h i p i n th e so ci al

gr ou ps of M ex ic an fem al es an d fe m al es un ab le to lea ve do m es ti c rel at io ns hi ps

.

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-Thi s “ co ur t m ay rev ie w a fin al or de r of rem ov al on ly if

. . . th e al ie n ha s

ex ha us te d al l ad m in is tra ti ve rem ed ie s av ai la bl e to th e a l i e n as of rig ht .” 8 U.S.C. § 12 52 (d)( 1)

. “ Fai lu re to rai se an is su e be fo re th e ag en cy co n s t it ut es a fai lu re to

ex ha u s t a d m in is tra ti ve rem ed ie s an d de pr iv es th is co ur t of juri sd ic ti on to he ar th e

m at te r.” Ix tl

il co -Mo ra le s v. Kei

sl er , 5 07 F.3 d 65 1, 65 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 07 )

. G u ti erre z di d n ot see k hu m an it ari an as y lu m be fo re ei th er t he im m ig rat io n ju dg e o r BIA. Sh e al so rai se s th e in effe ct iv e as si st an ce clai m fo r th e fir st ti m e on ap pe al

. Bec au se sh e di d no t ex ha us t al l ad m in is tra ti ve rem ed ie s, th is c o ur t la ck s juri sd ic ti on ov er th es e cl ai m s. 2

* * * * * * *

The pe ti ti on for rev ie w is de ni ed

.

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The m ot io ns to su pp le m en t t he reco rd an d t o s tri ke refe ren ces in a br ie f are 2 de ni ed as m oo t.

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